VOL. 4 NO. 2 PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY BY SL AGRITECH CORP. MAY-JUNE 2011

Presidential sistersgrace hybrid rice festival in N. Ecija

Page 6-7

Rice imports: Willwe see end of it?

Page 4-5

Agriculture is soleengine of eco.dev’t

Page 2

Breastfeed withbrown rice

Page 9

President Aquino’s elder sisters Maria Elena “Balsy” Aquino Cruz and Pinky Aquino Abellada (4th and 5th from left, respectively) were special guests at a hybrid rice harvest festival last April 15 in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija.They are shown at the hybrid rice farm of Engr. Rolando Acain with (from left): Henry

Lim, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of SL Agritech Corp. which sponsored the festival; National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Lito Banayo; Dr.Frisco Malabanan of SL Agritech; Acain; and Dr. Santi Obien, former executive director of PhilRice. SEE STORY ON PAGES 6-7

RICE HARVEST FESTIVAL IN ALIAGA, NUEVA ECIJA

SL Agritech launchesnew rice planting program

SL Agritech Corp., the country’s top producer of hybrid rice seeds has launched a new farm program called “Kayamanan sa Palayan,” which aims to help the farmers increase their production and income and boost the government’s effort to attain self-sufficiency in rice.

(Turn to page 3)

GINTONG BUTILMAY-JUNE 2011 3GINTONG BUTIL MAY-JUNE 20112

STAFF

SANNY GALVEZEditor

JOSEPHINE E. DUNGCA Managing Editor

Contributing Writers:Rudy A. Fernandez

Jennifer NgViktor Peñas Carlo CaluagPhotographers

Carmina Cruz Jivin Relato

Graphic Artists

Gintong Butil is published bi-monthly by SL Agritech Corp., a division of Sterling Group of Companies, with editorial andbusiness offices at 2302 Sterling Place, Pasong Tamo Ext.,

Makati City. Telefax No. 810-1604

Conrad CariñoAnselmo Roque

Unrealistic expectations

golden grainsanny galvez

Naalala ko yung paradox na sinabi ng kaibigan nating si Rudy Fernandez ng Philippine Star, tungkol sa agrikultura sa ating bansa. The paradox, he said, is this:

“Although the Philippines is basically an agricultural country, agriculture is one of the most neglected segments of the national economy. Too often in the past – and even today,” he said, “lip-service was all that the agriculture sector got.” -- “The farmers are the backbone of the nation;” “From now on, agriculture will be the centerpiece of the national development program;” “Agriculture will be the main component of the country’s national economic recovery program.”

Speaking of hypocrisy, ito na ‘yun!-o0o-

Rice sufficiency, according to Dr. Achim Dobermann, deputy director general for research of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), “may be achieved by the Philippines in five years or more, but not by 2013 which is probably somewhat ambitious.”

The IRRI scientist cautioned the Department of Agriculture (DA) against raising unrealistic expectations.

-o0o-In a recent interview, National Food Authority (NFA) Administra-

tor Lito Banayo has pushed for the production of hybrid rice to stabi-lize, he said, the domestic supply and reduce the need to import rice.

It’s more realizable, I guess.-o0o-

We are not spending enough for agriculture, precisely the reason why we are not producing enough.

Ganoon lang ‘yon ka simple.-o0o-

Michael Lumas-i, a rice farmer from Sitio Tannulubong, Ipil in Tabuk, Kalinga, was declared the national winner of the “Gawad Saka” award given last December (2010) by the Department of Agriculture (DA) which recognized his outstanding achievement in hybrid rice production, poultry, piggery, fishery and high-value

“Kayamanan sa Palayan is our social corporate responsibi-lity to utilize the latest farming technology with the end in view of increasing the farmers’ produc-tion and income and help in our country’s effort to achieve rice self-sufficiency,” said Henry Lim, chairman and chief executive of-ficer (CEO) of SL Agritech.

Kayamanan sa Palayan’s pri-ority target areas are 100-hectare compact and irrigated rice farms which are low-yielding and areas

SL Agritech launchesnew hybrid rice planting program

(From page 1)

sure this mode or manner of pay-ment will be a big help for them, unlike before when their problem is money to buy the palay seeds, fertilizers, etc. Ang kikitain nila bawa’t ektarya ay aabutin ng P40,000 hanggang P50,000,” Lim said, adding that the duration of the program will be during the wet and dry cropping seasons from period 2010 to 2011.

“Kayamanan sa Palayan” program was conceptualized following a farm demonstration conducted by SL Agritech in a remote area in Dolores, Eastern Samar, Several farmers were present who, according to a field

technician of SL Agritech, earn an average of only P5,000 per hectare by planting the traditional inbred rice variety. The farm is being supervised by former Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo who is giving his all-out support to the farmers in the area.

“A year past, harvest time came at lahat sila, halos maiyak sa kagalakan dahil sa laking hamak ng kani-kanilang inaning palay, ito ngang SL-8H hybrid rice variety na ayon sa kanila, ay mahigit tatlong doble ang laki ng kanilang inani, kumpara sa dati nilang tinatanim na palay, so much so that their income increased

tremendously between P40,000 to P50,000. At ayun, naibalita ko sa aming opisina sa Makati at sa pagkakaalam ko, sa pangyayaring yun nabuo ang ideyang ilunsad ang programang ito na ‘Kayamanan sa Palayan,’” he said.

The program’s cooperating agencies (Government Sector) are the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Units (DA-RFUs) Local Government Units (LGUs) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute and the private sector, SL Agritech Corp. and fertilizer companies.

Lim at the same time expressed optimism that “in the foreseeable future, our country will become self-sufficient in rice as more and more farmers are planting the high-yielding hybrid rice seeds variety.”

“It has been proven that farmers planting our hybrid seeds will not only double or triple their harvest but will also dramatically increase their income compared to their production when they plant the tra-ditional inbred seeds which is only about 75 to 80 cavans per hectare,” he said, as he urged the massive propagation of hybrid rice as part of the government’s effort to achieve self-sufficiency in rice.

Former Ifugao Rep. Gual-berto B. Lumauig said agri-culture is the sole engine of the country’s economic de-velopment and the founda-tion towards building a strong economy.

The Philippines, he said, “will never prosper unless we give agriculture the highest pri-ority in our national economic agenda.”

The former politician-turned rice farmer in his hometown in Ifugao, said the modernization of the country’s agriculture is a rigorous process which is not only the sole responsibility of the government but also of the private sector.

“Kailangan din ng pamaha-laan ang suporta ng pribadong sektor to bring about positive changes in the agriculture in-dustry,” Lumauig said in an interview.

One of the strongest advo-cates of hybrid rice farming, Lumauig at the same time, criti-cized the objection to the plant-

Agriculture is sole engine of economic development

ing of hybrid rice “as a product of ignorance and indulgence by farmer-advocates planting the traditional rice varieties.”

He said insisting on the old ways will not solve the mounting shortfall in our rice production in relation to our population growth “because we are stuck in producing a volume level permitted only by traditional methods and rice varieties.”

Lumauig cited three Asian countries – Indonesia, Bangla-desh and Malaysia which, he

(Turn to page 10)

LUMAUIG

commercial crops. Unfortunately, he has not received to this day the

100,000-peso cash award which was at stake in the competition. Trophy nga lang daw ang kanyang natanggap.

-o0o-Quotable quotes: “Life is a promise; fulfill it.”“Your mind is your greatest asset, so be careful what you put

into it.” “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.

It’s the life in your years.”“Always give without remembering and always receive without

forgetting.” “Of those to whom much is given, much is required.”

-o0o-June next month is the 3rd anniversary of Commonwealth

Caucus, a group we formed three years ago.. Its members are for-mer and current newspaper editors, reporters, columnists, radio broadcasters and public relations practitioners. We meet regularly every Friday morning at a coffee shop at Ever Gotesco shopping mall along Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City. It ’s a convivial coffee drinking session where we exchange banters and try to come up with solutions to the problems of the world.

where the hybrid rice technol-ogy is not yet adapted. The target beneficiaries are the farmers, irri-gators’ associations, cooperatives and rice farm clusters.

According to Lim, the pro-gram is already on-going in La Paz, Tarlac; in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija; Tabuk, Kalinga; Naujan, Oriental Mindoro; Rizal, Pala-wan; Nabua in Camarines Sur; Villadolid, Negros Occidental; Dolores in Eastern Samar; and in Lutayan in Sultan Kudarat, under the supervision of Rep. Raiden Sakaluran.

He said Occidental and Ori-ental Mindoro rice projects will be under the supervision of Gov. Josephine Sato and Gov. Alfonso Umali, respectively.

Lim explained that the scheme is a “Plant Now Pay Later Plan,” which means SL Agritech will supply the farmers the palay seeds (the high-yield-ing SL-8H hybrid seeds variety) and provide the technological know-how. The farmers will pay for the palay seeds only during harvest time.

“Sa oras lamang ng anihan nila kami babayaran and we are

GINTONG BUTILMAY-JUNE 2011 5GINTONG BUTIL MAY-JUNE 20114

Much has been said and written about rice importation – that it drains our dollar reserves; that in effect subsidizes the business of foreign rice farmers; that corrupt officials in govern-ment and their cohorts benefit

RICE IMPORTS: WILL WE SEE END OF IT?

from it, etc. etc..Upon his assumption into

office last June this year, Agricul-ture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala announced that the country will gradually veer away from rice importation, saying that in three years, he expects to make the Philippines self-sufficient of the basic staple through intensified production.

But that remains to be seen.During the past administra-

tions, billions of pesos had been spent for rice importation that it has become some sort of a habit or tradition for the country to import the commodity, thereby discouraging local farmers from increasing their production..

“When the government re-sorts to rice imports, it does so

at the risk of losing its focus on food security. In effect, we are subsidizing the business of rice farmers in Vietnam, Thailand and other countries where we buy our rice requirements,” according to Jake Espino, a member of Com-monwealth Caucus, a group of former and current media and PR practitioners.

Former Ifugao Rep. Gualber-

to Lumauig who is now a rice and corn farmer, said the Philippines serves as Asia’s (and perhaps the world’s) center for research on the best scientific methods of rice production. Yet today, he said, “we find ourselves importing rice which drains our dollar reserves.”

Taking the world supply of cereals for example, statistics show that of the total quantity of grains being produced, less than three percent is being traded. A slight decrease in the world’s cereal production even by just five percent will adversely affect many rice-producing countries.

“We do not want a repeti-tion of the 1973 rice crisis during which our domestic supply of the commodity was very low,”said former food minister and admin-istrator of the National Food Au-thority (NFA) Jesus Tanchanco.

He recalled: “We then had all the money to import our requirement and were even will-ing to buy at high prices, but we could not do so because even the

traditional rice exporting coun-tries then withheld their exports because they also had their own supply problems.”

Rice is our most important food commodity. As such, its availability or scarcity would certainly affect the overall food situation.

Our population is growing very fast and so is the world’s. In fact, the population growth rate has outpaced the rate of food pro-duction. As a result, there is today a worldwide shortage of food. What compounds the situation is the unexpected off and on occur-rence of typhoons, drought and other natural calamities which

greatly deplete the food reserves of the world.

Efforts to provide the Filipino with ample rice have been charac-terized by importations to supple-ment local production. However, we are convinced that importa-tion, which cost us billions of pesos every year, can be easily done away with if we will only exert determined and sustained efforts to develop our grains industry. Sa madaling salita, the government should double or triple its efforts (and investments) to achieve such goal.

The question frequently or usually asked when the subject of rice importation is being talked about, is: What makes rice impor-tation so attractive?

Some two years back, former Pangasinan Rep. Jose de Venecia made some revealing statements during an interview with Jess Diaz of the Philippine Star. He blamed the government’s policy of massive rice importation and on its failure to modernize ag-

riculture.The former House Speaker

described rice importation as more lucrative than to produce it. It is common knowledge, he said, “that corrupt officials and their

of the Commonwealth Caucus who were former and current mediamen and public relations practitioners:

Mart del Rosario, former UST journalism professor and noted PR practitioner: “Mahilig din lamang tayong manggaya,

popularized the production of hybrid rice, so much so that it has not only substantially raised its food production but has also improved the living standards of its farmers. At nakakapag-export pa sila ng bigas sa ibang bansa.”

Eli Cinco, Manila Bulletin columnist: “While rice impor-tation is a temporary remedy, the long-term solution to the country’s rice requirements is massive production. Kailangan nga lang ang political will.”

Jun Varela, former feature editor of the Philippine News Agency (PNA): “ Puro na lang tayo import ng import from such countries as Thailand and Vietnam whose agriculturists are mostly graduates from our agricultural schools.”

Lysander Garcia, former business editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer: “We are spend-ing more than P60 billion every year in rice importation but just a pittance or barely sufficient amount in rice production.”

Max Ballesteros, former

'Rice is such an integral part of history and culture in the Philippines that

for many Filipinos, rice imports are a source of national shame.'

patrons pocket huge commission involved in rice imports.”

Here are some comments we received from the other members

bakit hindi natin gayahin ang China, considered the most popu-lous nation on earth. With 1.3 billion people to feed, China has (Turn to page 8)

By SANNY GALVEZ

GINTONG BUTIL 76

Presidential sisters grace hybrid rice festival in Nueva Ecija

ALIAGA, Nueva Ecija -- President Aquino’s elder sisters Maria Elena “Balsy” Aquino Cruz and Pinky Aquino Abellada, were special guests at the hybrid rice harvest festival held here last April 15. They received a warm wel-come from Mayor Marcial Vargas and his wife, Vice Mayor Elizabeth Vargas and officials of SL Agritech Corp. led by Henry Lim, chairman and CEO of the firm.

Addressing a crowd of over 300, mostly rice farmers from this town and neighboring municipali-ties, Cruz said she was surprised to learn that farmers get a much bigger harvest and earn a much bigger income by planting the high-yielding hybrid rice variety.

“Ngayon ko lamang nalaman at personal na nakita ang kaibahan sa pagtatanim ng inbred variety at hybrid rice variety. Na sa hybrid, mahigit kalahati o triple ang laki ng inaani kumpara nga sa inbred vari-ety. Kaya naman pala kayong mga hybrid rice farmers ay masasaya sa laki ng inyong mga produksyon at kinikita sa pagtatanim ng hy-brid rice,” Mrs. Cruz said, as she assured that she will inform the President of their demands to provide assistance to rice farmers in a more massive scale to further improve their living standards.

Also present at the affair, which was held near the 22-hect-are hybrid rice farm of Engr. Ro-lando Acain, were National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator

Lito Banayo; Director Paz Mones of the Department of Agriculture-Region III; Serafin Santos, provin-cial agriculturist who represented Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali; S. Tarigan of Indonesia’s agricul-ture agency PT Sang Hyang Seri; Pete Prado, Nixon Kua and Ruben Miranda, acting executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

The festival, sponsored by SL Agritech, has for its theme “Kayamanan sa Palayan.” It was highlighted by the testimonies of hybrid rice farmers Sonny Agui-lar of Mangatarem, Pangasinan; Bernardo Navarro and Jerry Tolen-tino of Aliaga, Benigno Pascua of Guimba; Sotero Cruz Gapac, Sta. Rosa, and Severino Payumo of Ca-banatuan City. Their harvest per hectare, using the SL-8H seeds, averaged 250 cavans. Payumo’s record harvest was 345.6 cavans per hectare.

In his brief talk, Lim ex-pressed optimism that “if majority of our traditional farmers will go hybrid, we can expect a bumper harvest of palay in the coming years and ensure sufficiency in our rice supply.”

“Our country’s best option to become self-sufficient in rice is hybrid rice and its accompanying technology,” he said, adding that in China, more than 60 percent of its rice lands are planted to hybrid rice. With over 1.3 billion people to feed, China, he said, is not only

self-sufficient in rice but it has also enough for export.

SL Agritech Corp. is spon-soring rice harvest festivals all over the country since 2006, to promote the benefit of hybrid rice technology.

This harvest season, it has organized five harvest festivals – in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija; Naujan, Oriental Mindoro; Bago City in Negros Occidental; La Paz, Tar-lac; and in Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro.

SL Agritech officials present at the affair were Cathy Galura, senior vice president for opera-tions; Dr. Noel Mamicpic, senior vice president for quality control; Josie Farnacio, vice president-special assistant to the Chairman and CEO; Donna Lim, senior finance manager; Joh Dungca, promotions manager; Dr. Weijun Xu, vice president for international market; Prof. Zhang Zhaodong, plant breeder; and Dr. Santi Obien, former PhilRice director and now a consultant of the firm.

--SANNY GALVEZ

PART OF A BIG CROWD AT THE FESTIVAL.

FROM LEFT: DIR. DOMINGO I. DIAZ (FROM LBP), DIR. CRISPINO T. AGUELO (FROM LBP), JOSIE FARNACIO –VP-STERLING, S. TARIGAN FROM INDONESIA, HENRY LIM AND DR. WEIJUN XU OF SL AGRITECH.

MRS. BALSY AQUINO-CRUZ DELIVERING A BRIEF TALK.

FIVE OUTSTANDING HYBRID RICE FARMERS FROM PANGASINAN AND NUEVA ECIJA ARE SHOWN AS THEY ARE BEING CITED BY MR. LIM.

MR. HENRY LIM WITH MRS. BALSY AQUINO-CRUZ AND PINKY AQUINO-ABELLADA.

GINTONG BUTILMAY-JUNE 2011 9GINTONG BUTIL MAY-JUNE 20118

Studies have shown that brown rice is a functional food which has a significant role in improving functions of the alimentary system and in fight-ing diseases such as metabolic disorders, cardiovascular dis-eases, and even certain types of cancer.

With this in mind, Abbie Yabot, lactation councillor

Breastfeed with Brown Rice

pregnancy stage, after birth, and to raising the child.

She explained, “There are such things as contracting and expanding food. Contracting food are those that are bad for breastfeeding. This includes any-thing starchy and anything that’s white. So this is where brown rice comes in—to replace white rice, pasta, or flour, since it’s the

maintains that breast milk is the ideal food for newborns and infants as it contains antibodies that help protect these children from common childhood ill-nesses such as diarrhoea and pneumonia.

“So it is really significant for mothers to have

c o n s t a n t breast

milk supply and that is with the help of brown rice since it is able to keep their sug-ar level, cholesterol levels, and weight in check while pregnant, which translates to avoiding many complica-tions linked with pregnancy,” emphasized Yabot.

Lastly, she said, “Mothers may also start feeding their babies with mashed brown rice after the period of exclu-sive breastfeeding, because

this will guarantee their babies to have a good

start.” By good s tar t ,

Yabot meant, an all-natural, no preserva-tives, first and solid meal encounter for their babies.

So, take the first step to a healthy! Introduce

brown rice to you and your family, most especially your kids today.

certified by the Department of Health, has decided to in-clude brown rice in her list of food that is recommended to women, especially mothers who are about to or who are currently breast feeding their babies. Part of her motivation to recommend the unpolished variety is from personal expe-rience. She has seen and felt the effects of brown rice to her family after she regularly served Dona Maria Jasponica Brown rice at home.

According to Yabot, who is also a local leader for La Leche League, an interna-tional group whose mission is to promote breastfeeding, switching to brown rice will have a three-part benefit to women and their babies—from

opposite.”Yabot added, “Expanding

food, or those that are packed with nutrients and fibre such as brown rice, help g r e a t l y in the ex-pansion of health. These then expand the breastmilk supply.”

The impor-tance of this, ac-cording to Yabot, is to ensure child health and sur-vival.

Addition-ally, the World Health Organi-zation (WHO)

It is an age-old saying that mothers know best. That said, whether a new or an experienced mom, she must know the fact that breast milk is still best for babies. However, there is one thing that they don’t know yet: that brown rice is also good for them and their babies.

Expanding food, or those that are packed with

nutrients and fibre such as brown rice, help greatly in the

expansion of health.

RICE IMPORTS: WILL WE SEE END OF IT?

(From page 5)

SEN. ANGARA

ALCALA WITH COMMONWEALTH CAUCUS MEMBERSAgriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (seated, 3rd from left) paid a surprise visit to the Commonwealth Caucus which meets every Friday at a coffeeshop at Ever Gotesco in Commonwealth Ave., Quezon City. Commonwealth Caucus is composed of former and current mediamen

and PR practitioners. Those in photo are (front row, from left) Max Ballesteros, Eli Cinco, Sec. Alcala, Bert Lumauig, Sanny Galvez and Alex Quibin. Standing are (from left) Jake Espino, Roman Floresca, Mart del Rosario, Jun Varela and Conrad Cariño. Not in photo are Lysander Garcia and Lito Gorospe.

media director of Food Terminal, Inc. (FTI): “Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala says he can make the country self-sufficient in rice in three years. That’s a tall order. By the way, ano naman itong nabasa ko recently, quoting NFA assistant administrator Jose Cordero as saying at a recent con-ference in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, that ‘We had to increase the volume of importation (rice) this year as we had troubles with production. Ang hirap yata nitong intindihin.”

Alex Quibin, former associ-ate managing director for admin-istration and finance, Meralco Foundation: “The Philippines is dubbed as the world’s No. 1 rice importer. Wala na akong masabi.”

Lito Gorospe, a veteran ra-dioman and formerly with Mala-canang Press Office: “I’ve noth-ing to say except, let’s stop rice importation once and for all. Sa tutuo lang, our country will never prosper unless we give agriculture the highest priority in our national recovery program. Yun lang.”

Malacanang has reacted to Senator Edgardo Angara’s earlier call on the government to focus on increasing the productivity of the agriculture sector instead of importing rice.

Malacanang wasted no time to issue a statement in reaction

for the country next year.”According to Angara, who

was former agriculture secretary, it is not good for the Philippines to be considered as the world’s largest importer of rice.

“That’s not a good situation for a country that consumes so much of this particular grain. We should make use of this resolve to reduce the amount we import as a chance to increase the rice sufficiency of the country,” was

to what Angara had said. The Palace statement reads in part: “Importing rice is the immediate solution to the shortage on supply

Angara’s advise.In the book “Why does the

Philippines Import Rice?” pub-lished by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), David C. Dawe said “rice is such an integral part of his-tory and culture in the Philippines that for many Filipinos, rice imports are a source of national shame.”.

He said among the reasons of-ten mentioned for the country’s fail-ure to achieve rice self-sufficiency are faulty government policy, cor-ruption, conversion of rice land to other uses, backward rice farmers, deteriorating irrigation systems, and lack of farm credit.

Dawe, who is from IRRI, noted that Malaysia is the Asian country’s most reliant on rice imports which accounts for 29 percent of its con-

sumption.Other countries that import

rice to meet a significant portion of demand, which percentages averaged for 1996-2003, are the Philippines, 12 percent; Sri Lanka, eight percent; Japan, six percent; and Indonesia, five percent.

Dawe said all these five coun-tries (including Malaysia) have consistently imported rice for at least the past century, adding that the Philippines has imported rice almost every year since 1969.

“The Philippines did achieve self-sufficiency in the 70s and even exported small quantities of rice in the early 80s. Why? Because the Green Revolution of irrigation, improved varieties and fertilizers were able to overcome the natural disadvantages in land endowment,” he said.

RICE BRANNot just for hog feed

Rice bran is no longer just good for hog feed. It is also an excellent source of healthy and nutritious cooking oil, according to the Philippine Rice Research

Institute (PhilRice).Results of experiments

which started only in 2005 showed that rice bran from a glutinous variety IMS2 and the still popular inbred variety IR64 are loaded with vitamins E and D, crude protein and calories from fat.

Former PhilRice Executive Director Leocadio S. Sebastian said rice bran oil has been ac-knowledged worldwide as the “healthiest” plant-based edible oil because it contains significant amount of vitamins, anti-oxi-dants and nutrients. At the same time, he said, it is trans-fat free.

At present, health-conscious countries like the United States, Japan and Australia have been reportedly importing rice bran oil as substitute for animal-based oil as well as other vegetable oil. Rice bran cooking oil was first tried in India.

--RUDY F. FERNANDEZ

GINTONG BUTILMAY-JUNE 2011 11GINTONG BUTIL MAY-JUNE 201110

said, are now utilizing hybrid rice technology to meet their growing demand for the ce-real.

“Bakit nga ba ang mga bansang ito ay nagha-hybrid rice na rin? Ang kasagutan dito ay naniwala na rin sila na ang China, na may papulasyong mahigit ngayon sa 1.3 bilyon, ay hybrid rice ang karamihang tinananim sa kanilang mga bukirin at napapakain pa nila ang ganoong karaming tao at yun nga, nakakapagluwas pa sila sa ibang bansa,” he said.

He said in China, more than 60 percent of its rice lands are planted to hybrid rice. With over 1.3 billion people to feed, China, he said, “is not only self-sufficient in rice but it has also enough for export.”

Agriculture is sole engine of economic development

(From page 2)

Henry Lim, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of SL Agritech Corp. has urged farm-ers in Nueva Ecija to maintain the province’s lead as the country’s top rice producer and to promote the planting of hybrid rice “to increase your harvest that would provide a positive outlook for our rice industry.”

“Nueva Ecija is the No. 1 rice-producing province in the country, and I urge you to main-tain it in that position,” Lim said, as he encouraged farmers in the province in a recent meeting “to be receptive in adopting modern farming technologies and practices to further increase your harvest and income.”

SL Agritech, the country’s top producer of hybrid rice seeds, is sponsoring rice harvest festivals practically all over the country to promote the benefits of hybrid rice technology.

According to Cathy Galu-ra, executive vice president for operation of SL Agritech, every

Maintain Nueva Ecija’s lead as top rice producer

year since 2006, the firm has been holding rice harvest festivals all over the country. Dito naipakikita ng mga magsasakang nagtatanim ng hybrid rice ang laki ng kanilang

benefits of hybrid rice not only in increasing production but also in raising farmers’ income,” Gal-

GALURA

Five Calapan, Mindoro hybrid rice farmers who were adjudged SL Agri-tech’s ‘Highest Hybrid Rice Yielders’ are shown after receiving the cash prizes and certificates of recognition from Cathy Galura (right), senior VP for operation of the firm. From left are Joh E. Dungca, advertising and promotions manager

MINDORO'S HYBRID RICE HIGHESTYIELDERS

of SL Agritech; Mr. Petronilo L. Dimailig, provincial agriculturist of Oriental Mind-oro; Conrado Balmes (5th place, who har-vested 210.33 cavans per hectare); Leandro Cantos (1st place, 269.73 cavans); Ronnie Cabayao (2nd place, 243 cavans); Casiano Melgar (3rd place, 234.66 cavans); and Bernabe Malicsi (4th place, 225.60 cavans).

provinces planting hybrid rice which recorded 29 to 48 percent yield advantage over certified or inbred seeds.

“Our country has seen the

inaaning palay. Kung sino ang makakapagtala ng pinakamalak-ing ani ay may matatanggap na kaukulang gantimpala.

According to her, the Bureau of Agricultrual Statistics (BAS) has conducted a survey in Leyte, Davao del Norte and Isabela, where it said, hybrid rice farmers from the three provinces, more than doubled their harvest and dra-matically increased their income, compared to those planting the inbred seeds.

Galura said Nueva Ecija, Isa-bela and Cagayan are the top three

'Our country has seen the benefits of hybrid rice not only

in increasing production but also in raising farmers’ income.'

Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, whose record harvest was 345.6 cavans per hectare; Aida Badong of Ca-marines Sur, with 345 cavans per hectare; Fernando Gabuyo, also of Nueva Ecija, 335 cavans; Rosalie Ellasus of San Jacinto, Pangas-inan, 257; and Tom Gimenez of Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, 238 cavans per hectare.

She said five Asian countries are now adopting the hybrid rice technology of his firm. These, he said, are Indonesia, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria and the latest is Vietnam, which is one of the world’s richest agricultural regions and the world’s seventh largest consumer of rice.

“These countries signed agreements with us to use our high-yielding SL-8H super hy-brid rice technology to meet their growing demand for the cereal,” she said.

Cambodia and Burma have earlier sent feelers signifying their intention to also use the same tech-nology of SL Agritech.

ura said, as she men-tioned sev-eral hybrid rice farm-ers among them Sev-erino Pa-y u m o o f

Iba't-ibang uri ng kemikal gamit ng mga magsasaka sa pag-tatanim at pag-aalaga ng palay, mangga, kamote, sibuyas, mung-go, mais at maging tabako, bulak, cocoa at pakwan ay bibigyan ng ibayong pagpapakalap hindi lamang upang maturuan sila ng wastong paggamit ng mga ito kundi para lalo pang lumaki at lumago ang kanilang mga aanih-ing panamim.

Ang proyektong ito ay isa-sagawa ng SL Biotech Corpora-tion, isang kumpayang pag-aari ng SL- Agritech Corp., ang pro-dyuser ng mataas na uring SL-8H hybrid rice seed na karaniwang itinatanim ng mga magsasaka sa buong bansa.

MGA KEMIKAL SA PAGPA-PALAGO NG

ANING PALAY AT IBA'T-IBANG

PANANIM

SA KABUKIRANNi JOH DUNGCA

Nilunsad kamakailan ng SL Agritech Corp. ang pani-bagong programa na lalu pang magpapaunlad ng ka-buhayan ng mga maliliit na magsasaka sa bansa at ito'y bilang na rin sa pagsuporta sa programa ng pamahalaan na nauukol sa seguridad sa pagkain.

Ito ay ang "Kayamanan sa Palayan," na ang tanging layunin ay hindi lamang mapalago ang ani ng mga magsasakang nagtatanim at magtatanim pa ng hy-brid rice seeds kundi ga-yundin ang mapaunlad ang kanilang kabuhayan.

Ayon kay Henry Lim, chairman at chief executive officer (CEO) ng SL Agri-tech Corp., "bibigyan namin ng prayoridad sa program-ang ito ang mga hybrid rice farmer sa lugar na may mga patubig at pati na rin ang mga grupo ng mga farmers' irrigators, kooperatiba ng mga magsasaka at iba pang grupo na layuning sumapi sa 'Kayamanan sa Palayan.'"

Ang SL Agritech, na

itinuturing na pinakamalaki prodyuser sa buong bansa ng pinakamataas na uri ng hybrid rice seed na kilala sa pangalang SL-8H, ay hindi la-mang ipo-provide sa mga sasali sa programang ito ang binhi kundi gayundin ang kaukulang teknolohiya.

Ayon pa rin kay Lim, ang mga magsasaka at iba pang grupo na sasali sa progra-mang ito ay magbabayad la-mang ng kanilang itatanim na punla o hybrid seeds sa oras lamang ng kanilang pag-aani.

"Kung dati-rati, ang prob-lema ng mga magsasaka ay kung saan sila kukuha ng pambili ng punla na kanilang itatanim, nguni't ngayon, dahil sa programang 'Kayamanan sa Palayan,' hindi na muna nila problema ang puhunan dahil magbabayad lamang sila ng nagamit nilang punla sa oras na lamang ng kanilang pag-aani at hindi kamukha ng dati na halos hindi nila alam kung saan sila kukuha ng pambili ng binhi at iba pang gamit sa pag-sasaka," ayon pa rin kay Lim.

Sa pasimula, ang mga

probinsyang pagtutuunan ng nasabing programa ay ang Pangasinan, Nueva Eci-ja, Tarlac, Palawan, Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Sur, Negros Occidental, Eastern Samar at Sultan Kudarat.

Ang Kayamanan sa Pa-layan ay isasagawa sa buwan na tinatawag na wet and dry cropping season sa loob ng taong 2010-2011.

Ang programang ito ay isasagawa ng SL Agritech Corp. sa pakikipagtulungan ng Department of Agricul-ture-Regional Field Units (DA-RFUs), Local Govern-ment Units (LGUs), Philip-pine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) at mga kompanya ng abono at pestesidyo.

Naniniwala si Lim na li-bu-libong magsasaka sa bu-ong bansa ang makikinabang sa programang ito na walang ibang layunin kundi paunla-rin ang kanilang kabuhayan at makamit ng pamahalaan ang pagiging supisyente ng ating bansa sa bigas.

KAYAMANAN SA PALAYAN

Ang ilan sa mga uri ng pes-tisidyong ilulunsad ay ang BLB Stopper 20SC. Ito ay isang uri ng bacteride fungicide na epektibong panlaban sa Bacterial Leaf Blight sa mga palay. Ang kemikal na ito ay nasa kanyang bagong pabalat o sukat (mula sa 40ml sachet), at ito ay mabibili na ngayon sa bagong packaging na 120ml kada bote.

Ang Jolina 2.5EC at Zukol 70WP. Ang dalawang ito ay ma-nanatili sa kanilang mga pabalat. Ang Jolina 2.5EC ay isang matind-ing insecticide laban sa mga pan-gunahing insekto ng mga pananim (bigas, manga, kamatis, sibuyas, munggo, mais, tabako, bulak, cocoa at pakwan). Ito ay mabibili pa rin sa kanyang mga pack sizes na: 1L, 500ml, at 250ml. Isang pamatay kuhol naman ang Zukol 70WP. Isa itong mabilis na pama-tay sa kuhol habang pinananatiling ligtas ang tao at ibang mga hayop na maaaring nasa palayan – green label. Ito ay mabibili pa rin sa 35g/sachet.

Ang mga nasabing kemikal ay mabibili na sa mga authorized agri-dealers nationwide simula sa buwan ng Mayo ng taong ito.